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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · pitcher · staff · wave · chest · spell · race · plane

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chest — of your body
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. spell — magic
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. staff — employees
  11. spell — letters
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. race — humankind
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. race — a contest
  22. chest — a box
  23. staff — employees
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com